Life As We Knew It
by GendryaCaesar
Summary: Miranda and her family are on their way to Sexton University and are also searching for a safe town. Alex/Miranda, Matt/Syl. Rated T for smut and language.
1. Chapter 1

July 14

Okay, so maybe I _did_ bring my diaries, but I had good reasons. First, it would drive me and everyone else crazy not knowing what the date was. Second, it'll give me something to do. Third, I'll be able to look back really long ago and say: "Wow, I had no idea things could change _that _much."

We walked two miles-which really seemed like forever before Jonny said, "Look! A car!"

"Don't get your hopes up," Syl said. "That doesn't mean there's gas, and it'd be useless without any."

How very wrong she was, and she and the rest of us were so happy that she was. Not only did the car have gas, it was a minivan, and the back was loaded with gallons of gas.

Lisa was so happy she almost burst into tears. _I _was so happy that I kissed Alex on the spot, and I know Mom and Dad wouldn't have been too excited except we were all so happy.

We got in and Dad drove off without looking back.

July 16

Being in a car for 2 days can really get inside your head. I know it's selfish, but I'd kill to ride a bike, or skate, or go swimming, or do anything outside the car. I let myself daydream about Miller's Pond-only I was with Alex instead of Dan-and then I accidentally fell asleep and dreamed about it for real.

It was probably one of the best dreams I've ever had.

I woke up to Matt's voice saying, "It would be dangerous, though. I'd have to get someone to go with me. Miranda?"

"Miranda what?" I said groggily, and Jon burst out laughing.

"Matt thinks it's a good idea to go searching in some houses," Dad said, "and he wants you to come."

I remembered the time Alex and I went in that house and there was that dead man sitting in the chair. I remember how horrifying it was. But I could always stay behind Matt and let him go into a room first, and besides, I remembered how much fun it was to go through people's houses. I remembered the adrenaline of being caught and smashing windows and breaking in and finding exciting things.

"I'll do it," I agreed, and Matt smiled.

"Can I come with you?" Alex suggested. "I'd like to spend some time alone with Miranda. We can talk while we look."

I smiled at him, and he smiled back. This is going to be fun.

July 17

Today I took the time to think about the past. I remember how we got trapped in that tornado and Julie and Charlie passed, and how worried I was about going home. I told Alex that and we shared a long kiss in one of the houses. To our advantage, Matt was all the way across the house.

Alex and I talk a great deal when we're searching. Mostly it's about everyone else. About Gabriel. Charlie. But he refuses to talk about Julie.

At one point, we got into an argument about that. "I don't want to talk about her."

"Why not?" I wanted to know. "She was your sister and I know how much she meant to you."

"She still means everything to me!" he said, raising his voice and startling me. "And that's why I don't want to talk about it!" He left the room with a garbage bag full of things, leaving me alone to sulk and feel miserable about my life. Except I knew even in that moment that it could be much worse.


	2. Chapter 2

July 22

We're a couple hours away from Sexton University, and this morning I woke up to hear someone vomiting. So I sat up and realized we had stopped, so then I rolled the window down and looked outside to see Syl vomiting. Matt was holding her hair, which is now shoulder length, and rubbing soothing circles onto her back as she threw up in a trash bag.

"Matt?" I called, and he looked up at me. "Is Syl okay?"

Matt nodded and gave me a reassuring smile. "She'll be fine."

Syl sniffled and wiped her nose and mouth with a tissue, then opened the trunk of the van. The heat felt good and I rested my head on the arm of the door while she searched through the bags and eventually pulled out a small box.

"What's that?" I wondered.

"Be right back." She went into the woods, Matt close behind her, and a couple minutes later they returned with huge smiles on their faces.

I was confused, but then Matt said, "Syl's pregnant."

Mom and Dad, who were talking in the front seat with Lisa, who was sitting in one of the middle seats, all turned around and gasped. Jon stopped playing his baseball game that I had gotten him for Christmas last year and now the car was silent. Alex was still asleep, but I shook him awake and pointed to Matt and Syl. When Syl announced her news again Alex's face broke out into a grin and he clapped Matt on the shoulder and then congratulated both of them.

"Hey," Mom said. "Remember last year? Today's National Good News Day."

Now I remember that. The day we found Horton by the back door, and it ended up with a party that night. And we're almost at Sexton University, so it's kind of ironic that we have lots of good news on the day we called National Good News Day.

When we got to Sexton University, we were surprised at how many people were there. I guess LLBA isn't a really good nickname for Alex, because there were a lot of guys here. Not only was it a university, but we found out-to Mom and Dad's delight and Jon's extreme disappointment-that the university isn't just a university and it teaches grades K-12 and college, all the subjects you could think of and more.

We were standing in the office, and that was when I saw a girl, who looked familiar, sitting in one of the office chairs. "Sammi?" "Miranda?" We both laughed and she got up, ran across the office, and hugged me. "Oh Miranda, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"Me neither," I gasped. "What are you doing here?" "I'm repeating junior year," she said, a grin on her face as big as the ones on Matt and Syl's this morning.

"Miranda?" I heard again, and Alex came up behind me and wrapped an arm around me. "Who's she?" "Alex," I said, "this is one of my best friends, Sammi. She went to school with me but she left and I haven't seen her since up until now."

"Nice to meet you," she said, grinning at Alex.

So now I'm sitting in a corner in the dorm we're sharing with a couple of Sammi's friends-Courtney and Alice-and Mom and Lisa and Syl are sharing a dorm and Jon and his new friends and Dad and Matt and Alex, and I think that my life may start to get a small amount better.

July 23

I woke up this morning to yelling, and sure enough Courtney and Sammi were in a heated argument.

"You _what?!_" Courtney screeched, and I glanced over at Alice and she had a You-have-got-to-be-kidding-me look on her face.

"I _told_ you, I only went on a date with him!" Sammi yelled back, and Alice and I stared at them in silence.

"Yeah well you knew that he's my ex boyfriend and I never want to have anything to do with him again!" Courtney shouted.

"So the world's ending and they're fighting over boys," I said to Alice, and she laughed.

"They argue back and forth like this all the time," Alice told me, and I nodded, and I began to suddenly miss Alex.

"And so you don't!" Sammi yelled.

"I do if my best friend's dating him!" Courtney pointed out, her face livid.

"Fine, whatever! Date Jordan! Not my dignity to lose!" Sammi huffed and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Sorry about them."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "I've already got family drama so I'm used to it."

This is going to be a fun school year.


End file.
